Every Lidl helps

Lucy Neville-Rolfe, in responding to the adverse publicity Tesco had over its treatment of outsourced textile workers following the resolution I moved at its AGM, says the company acts when "things sometimes go wrong" (Response, August 2). The fault, however, is systemic. It is in the contracts Tesco makes with its suppliers. Before I moved the resolution I asked the company for sight of its contracts to see what labour standards they imposed, but was denied with the excuse that they contained commercially sensitive terms. When Tesco and other retailers are prepared to be transparent, the scepticism of their "detractors" will be dissipated.
Benedict Birnberg London

There are some good reasons why Labour supporters admired Ruskin: the Working Men's College is one of the best. But it is still pretty odd: he called himself "a violent Tory of the old school", his ideal society was a medieval hierarchy, and he followed his good friend Carlyle in defending slavery. If his hatred of machinery had been taken seriously, women in particular would still be dying of overwork at the age of 40.Alan Ryan Oxford

If Cardinal Keith O'Brien (People, August 3) thinks "It is wrong that [Peter Phillips] is deprived of [his] birthright [10th in line to the throne] by this scandalous act" (of Settlement 1701), is he equally exercised that in families with one Catholic parent the children must be raised as Catholics? Can he see any connection?Rev Richard James Ripon, North Yorkshire

Has Chris Kelly (Letters, August 3) ever run a hotel or B&B in this country? I don't know how we compare to other EU countries with respect to business rates, utility rates, phone charges, laundry bills, food supplies, staff costs, VAT etc, but I'd happily challenge him to come here for a month, reduce our room rates (currently £70-£95 per night for a double), pay all bills and give me a reasonable return for the number of hours I work.Linda Jarrett Ty Croeso Hotel, Crickhowell, Powys

Can someone explain why the same six-pack of lager costs €1.99 at Lidl in Germany but £4.99 at Lidl in the UK?Elisabeth Yatteau Alconbury Weston, Cambridgeshire